The present invention relates to a cervical collar which is adapted to be sized on or off the patient and be efficiently and properly applied to the neck of a patient under emergency or non-emergency conditions.
Cervical collars are commonly used to restrict the movement of the head and neck of a person who has suffered a neck or spinal injury, and such collars are often applied in the field under emergency conditions so as to permit the extrication of an injured person from an accident site while the upper cervical spine is immobilized.
In instances where the collar is to be applied under emergency conditions, it is important that the collar can be easily applied about the neck of the patient, and adjusted in height to fit the neck of the patient, without risk of further injury or trauma. Several prior collar designs have been proposed to achieve these functions, including those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,520,619 and 5,593,382.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cervical collar of the described type, and which can be easily applied to an injured person under emergency conditions, and readily sized to the patient either before or after it has been applied.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a cervical collar which is readily adjustable to the neck size of the patient under emergency conditions and so as to be infinitely adjustable to any position between the shortest and longest neck sizes.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a cervical collar that provides full and proper support to the patient once it is applied, and which is able to effectively immobilize the upper cervical spine of an injured person.
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in the embodiment illustrated herein by the provision of a cervical collar which comprises an elongate generally flat band having a sufficient longitudinal length and flexibility to encircle a patient""s neck in use, and which includes an upper edge and a lower edge. A chin support member is joined along the upper edge of the band, and the joining structure includes a post which is fixed to the chin support member so as to extend downwardly therefrom. The post and the band are slidably interconnected by a structure which includes a locking arm pivotally mounted to one of the post and the band so as to be manually pivotable between a release position wherein the post is freely slidable relative to the band in either vertical direction to permit upward and downward movement of the chin support member, and a locking position wherein the post and the band are tightly pressed against each other to preclude relative sliding movement between the post and the band. Also, hook and loop fastening strips are mounted to the ends of the band for releasably securing the band in encircling relation about the neck of the patient.
In the preferred embodiment, the structure for slidably interconnecting the post and the band further includes a central opening formed in the band, and a vertical strap formed on the band so as to extend vertically across the opening. The vertical strap overlies the post so that the post is slidable along the strap and the locking arm acts to press the post and the strap together when the arm is pivoted to its locking position.
Also, in the preferred embodiment, the locking arm includes detent means for releasably retaining the locking arm in the locking position. Also, the vertical strap and post may include a pawl and ratchet interconnection which permits sliding movement of the strap and chin support in the upward direction while precluding sliding movement in the opposite direction. The pawl and ratchet interconnection can be released by pivoting the locking arm to the release position, so as to permit movement of the strap in either direction.